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07/15/1977 ".::':;C! :.:: . - '.,' , I . ....r , ' , , ;;' .' ',' ":.' ,;!""i~::i;;~:' > -. -. ~,' , l, ., "< . ;:.!,,'" . " , Pi, , ' > ' \<~. . . ' :"'.:," '. ., .' . , ' , " .~ - . . " , . , '. , LIBRARY BOARD , \~ MINUTES ' , ' , ;'. ',' DATE,' dtli.; I.~H?7' I,;,' . . . , , ;' '-!- ~'/:z S-/, {'~.", i' , i '., > ~I';"''';':"~''J,~.", '., ... .';,,, , ., . . ,I CLEARWATER PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD NINUTES OF THE l1EETING 15 JULY 1977 Mayor1s Conference Room at City Hall 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM PRESENT ABSENT Mr. Larry Reis, Chairman Mr. Curtis G. Barre Mr. Joseph C. Elliott Mrs. Mati1e Hendry Mrs. Jessica M. Kerr Mrs. Johnie Mae Moore Hr. John Murray Mr. Albert L. Rogers ,Mrs. Althea Andersen, Acting Librarian Mr. Wilby F. Anderson HI'S. Rita Garvey Mr. Walter A. Krick' GUESTS Mrs. Larry Reis Mr. Charles Finton, interested citizen Mr. Reis called the meeting to order at 1:05 PM. Nrs. Andersen reported that Hr. Michael Paroby, Assistant City Manager, has requested the Library Board's views on an offer of property containing a Winn-Dixie Supermarket to the city of Clearwater for $ll50, 0 00 for possible use as a main library headquarters. This site has been previously discussed at the City Commission meeting of May 19, 1977, and put aside. At that time, an offer had not been formally made to the City. The Library staff prepared a report on the Winn-Dixie site at the time of the May 19, 1977 Commission meeting. (See enclosure). Mrs. Andersen summarized the report for the Board, stating the pros and cons of this site. The Board noted the poor drainage problems of this location, and the expense of renovating a building not designed to be used as a library. With the bond referendum in less than one month, it was noted that it was late to be changing sites for a main library. There was concern for keeping a downtown site for a main library headquarters for easier access and downtown development, rather than the Winn-Dixie property. Mrs. Hendry made a,motion that the Library Board go on record in opposition to the Winn-Dixie property offered as a possible library site. Motion was seconded by Mr. Rogers and approved unanimously. ~J'.'r ~1,:: . ' ..: '~: ~ ;: '.~ -, \ ' , " I " ~t........_";,,t..... "..."" ,.. .. .." ',' .. ' ... . .~. I,. < ...., . \' . ~. Clearwater Public Library Board Minutes of the Meeting July 15, 1977 Page 2 Nrs. A,ndersen reported on the Library Budget Review with :~he City Manager. The request for a new tape cassette service was denied at this time. The budget request for opening a leased bI~nch was not deleted, but requested to be put off until April, 1978, should the bond referendum not be approved. Mr. Reis noted the usefulness of a leased facility while construction is being done on the new main library, if approved. There was general discussion of the Ordinance No. 1664 pertaining to operation of City Advisory Boards and Committees, adopted by the City Commission on April 21, 1977. The 80ard accepted the, ordinance. Mr. Barre expressed concern about Board members being charged, for parking when attending 80ard meetings at City Hall. Hr. Charles Finton, interested citizen, noted that parking meters can be covered in,designated spaces for members of boards or committees. Mr. Barre made a motion to ask the City to provide a means by which Library Board members can park without being charged during' Board meetings. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Moore and approved unanimously. Mrs. Andersen reported that the Friends of the Library are still presenting their slide presentation and wine and cheese parties to promote the Library in the bond referendum August 9, 1977. The Friends need names of persons or groups for their presentations. Letters to the newspapers pointing out the positive aspects of the Library a~e also encouraged. The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 PM. Susan Doel, Secretary 19 July 1977 "\, " - .. M_ .': '(p FEASIBILITY OF THE WINN-DIXIE SITE FOR A HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY In response to the City Commission's request for an eva- luation of the Winn-Dixie site as a possible location for the new main library facility, the library staff has studied the site and compared it to the anticipated needs of the proposed ~ibrary system. In the staff's base study--A Comprehensive Program for the Development of the Clearwater Public Library System (September, 11976)-- the starr-outlined 'and developed a program of library facilities and services for the City, that if implemented, should adequately and efficiently serve Clearwater's citizens for many ," years to come. All of our planning figures have been based on an. anticipated "built-outll population of between 100,000 and 150,000 (as anticipated by the City's Planning Department). All library planning efforts have been based on this projected figure, as the staffs of both the Planning Department and the Library recognize the substantial savings in both time and tax dollars to be realized by planning and building now to meet apticipated future needs for service delivery. , I ~ :' As stated in our first and all subsequent studies, American Library Association minimum standards indicate that a population oflOO,~OOto 150,000 requires a 50,000-60,000 square foot head- quarters facility to deliver adequate library service and to serve'as an efficient "home base" support unit for the system's strategically placed neighborhood-oriented branches. These needs have been supported on at least three occasions in the past as alter~ative sites for the main library have been considered: 1. In June, 1916, a consultant's report on the Bie professional building found that facility to be too inflexible for use as a public library. Total square footage for the building was also inadequate. , I , 'I I I I j ~ ; -. 2. The Cooper-Reeves-Baskin Building was likewise rejected; its 31,000 square foot size was judged to be substantially inadequ~te to m~et the library's needs. 3. In April, 1977, the Library Board voted unanimously against the Blackburn option as being to small to acco- mmodate a 60,000 square foot building on one or two floors. . :. After careful evaluation, the staff concludes that, with some reservations, service delivery would be possible at the tvinn-Dixie site, one which combines a fairly central location with adequat~ free parking. There are, however, several significant points which should be considered before a final decision regarding the site is made: 1. The existing buildings are of inadequate size. The total existing usable square footage is approximately 43,000 4\' -2- , .. :00 " " ~ ~square,feet (the Winn-oixie store and the former drug store ,; :,' ",>~orab.ined) --some 17,000 square feet too small for a faeili ty , ,"(" ;:::,' ': ;,,': ;designed to meet not only Clearwater I s present, but also .. :,,:: its :,future library service needs. Additional square . ';: :',..." ,', :/:: ~9otage would therefore have to be added, either as a :,....:{i~;',>~ :';,:,;,;;:second story or as an extension of the main building on the " ~;-':::: ::'" :', ':~~' north side. A second story offers the advantage of " .,'>? <'/,'. "\:'~~'pop~mical use of the available land and wou~d ~ave con7 <;:;"; ~ ';:' ,.:: -.:. '.l!l1:derable walking to make full use of the bu~ldLng and 1. ts ,: ){ I"','::~~': ':;:. '''': ~~~~ce~; a facility totally at ground level obviates the '; !,'.. ':, '.' ':, '., ': ~,iE7~\f?~ elevators. .' . :: .' -I- \ .' '.} . .' , ,f > < ~ I ~.. jo. .11" ~." . ;: .:,i~:-<::,', 2,~:';-,~,~ ::~et~~led engineering and, building construct+on ev~luation . '~>'''-':'\'' >- .:':::'::i-:,rq~t b~ made on the existing structures. A vLsual lnspec- ;' ,~i!.;:',' :!> ;~>.";~,,'~': ',.";.:;::~:I.()n byf.'the library staff revealed what apP7ars to be an (jjri{;.:;" ,,: :;;~ :~,!, : '. ,;":; ,al~~ady:-old structure with many 11 add-on I s II 1n the rear. :gif:: ':: ::': ~''J>~:/:''', :::i :~, ::t~,~;,~?,i'~ti'n9 structures prove to be below s tandar~ 07' cannot ,li~~I;;.'." ;,:~"",';:''.' L,~,t;"b~ eco"omically renovated and expanded, the Comn\1,SS10n may . l;';f(' 0:; 'i'/;~':<;;' ''('I;:: choose:'~to demolish the old buildings and construct an '(llii{::',.: ,,:<~',':"::;'.)<' ..:1<,;~.:': adeq1.iate, well-designed structure on the 5i te. ,~;t~?>, "\~:::' ,',<\ : :::" ;: ;;t,.:~ :~!:, "j";; " :r:~t," '..:r,:f; :"::;"",3..\JAltho~9h the Winn-Oixie site is essentially .-'downtown", it '::\~<" :>;";' :.~~::> ;;1'.(,:,' is::,~nonetheless out of the. mainstream of pedestrian and a:~!/" :;>:,;~'';:i;;;, "".'1Yt:::';: v~hi"c'u'lar traffic. It is also further from th'7 main down- ~;~T~'(, ;:":!"~:;~;;""i';: .;;:\:;~;,:,~~ll';~.l1,opping area, the Chamber of Commerce, CJ.~y Hall, ,;~~{ "": ,>!;;:',::~:<:::-;: ",;i;/;~.::,t~e' Co~ty ~c1ministration complex, th7 p07t off7ce, and ~:'A~:~';'" ." .r, :;',V.: :':';:{:, several ret1rement/nursing homes:--fac1li t7es wh1ch :~~~J'~'."\ ~,,; :',!;' ,(~/' <;;i;:;' P,~~~,?r+cally share a patronage w1.th the l1brary. ~:;:"lr' ~ ~ ~:;,~ 'i( ~;:. I" . .~: '~f ~. . I ~.";.",' . 'ri,:. :: ',:i:::::':!L.:' ;, ~ '~:,;;: ,Costs of moving the library I s holdings from one s1 te to .~~(':':, ..:--'.t;: :,,:"," ::::;':::.:~Ul'~1:h~r, physically remote site are considerably more than ~fr:'. ,;,,:';':;;::(~;;.<~,," ~:,;X: ,'~rey' ,~9~ld be if the existing 5i te is retained and enlarged. }t',:::i;<:~:,>:'.. ~'.' '.""A1th~U9h the Winn-Oixie site is several blocks further from <'l:'. : ';::.'::;, . ";i> the bUs terminal at Park and Garden Straets, several routes {\. 'l . > . . ;. ~ '., ,';(; , : .' ',:): /;.; ":.',;: pa~~ "within two or three blocks of the 5i te. ...:;,~~. . ~'. ,~: ' f\ :~, .:. ~:. .:<':" ,~~;,':,:: ,',' ".:',; T~~ .ap~ve ,considerations notwithstanding, the site does offer '/~';' '~:;JI~yer~;';i.~qy~t~ges of note: ~~. ~ ~..:',~~...; ":,'." I .,.~::;~'::':... ; ,/.' ~,i;:, :-':",::":,.'" "l.~',,;; 'As,.,mentioned above, free patron parking would be adequate-- ,t~~ '; " ' :::,' :":": }...l'" 'space '~xis ts for some 500 a utornobi les . De 11 very access in, !:,~'. .. .';>';~ /:j':, .,'::;,;" the" rear of the building complex: and access and parking for:. ',::f~" .,:::' ~::' ,:r;~',~.c~Qol, buses would also be good. " .~.:~: ' . . E:': " .",;."., 2'~:;', The site offers room for expansion if ever necessary, witt} . it; ~;" " ~:, ;" the' possibility of utilizing the surrounding undeve loped ,:' l~d on the site for a passive park. '. , , ~; . l. ,. 3~:. Library operations could continue in the present structure w~thout interruption until the new site is ready. 4\' , .' ....,r -3- , .'." , , .. '.' '.. c_. _ . . <I'. . .... '.. . > 4. A library facility located at the \'linn-Dixie site would draw'more qirectly upon the Prospect Towers Apartments, the! B~rbee Towers, the Senior Citizens Center and the HaVen House center for its patronage, and would provide ,more direct access to a number of lower income residents, ,,'.1' , " ..' many of whom do not own automobiles and could walk to ;;~~>,::': , ',:~ ,', ',:'" ~~~ ,library. ~\'\ ,', , l', ,,", '", ~~~;~: ,'.' . ~ t~;: .'"..', .'. .... ::: ~r ,;. . ' . . ,~j~;'!,: ,i,' ~ ':, ':" ,,;' : Il'FsUJrmtary, the library staff feels that the proposed W,l.nn- {l};:.,~:,,:: ,: ,Q4xi,.e:sit!3,~'is a viable option for the delivery of library services :'~r> -: : ';,i,~rou9h,:~a ;,~eadquar~ers facility, providing that either the existing '~ir:ji ",:):. struct'ures:.':be, consJ.derably renovated and expanded to meet the ~,!t\,,::..:>';';.i~PFaiy"~':;,requir'ements for a main library building, or that a new ,!t::::"':;"",'~',t,';rr-uct,~re'; ~~:f.bu~'lt on that site. Much depends upon the condition :H~,~~';:' !',:; 9f.~ the e~~ti~9 }>ui Idings, the C057 of renovation/expansion or new t;.~({::" ,', Qo~~tru9.~it;ln, :a.~d the t.otal costs. l.nvolved to purchase and prepare f:~i~{.'.',:" t:h~~"~ite and",to move library holdJ.ngs as compared to the costs ' ;i:;P:, :'~:: :~ PJ;9j~C?~,~d" ,+~,,:,~~', present plan to enlarge existing facilities. ~<, ',,<' ,!:~\;,;\;t;' ';;,,;;\,,';;>~:(; 5/13/7'} ;~~t ' ?/ji \)::~ :.:"\:".:, "':,>:,:;:',~,,, ::~ : !::;.:/ . . . ,:: ':; "": : :,; " .' . ,J. 'J~) I'; . ,. l' . t.." ,~:. ~, ",'li,. c, '};;l':' : ~'r. . . ',' " ~ i' ....: : , ' . .,' . ,w .', , , '~ : . .. " ' ".' '! , '. . I' . , " " , " . , ".<.t I " , , " " I. ..; , , . ~ . , . I .. ." '. ". , , , " -ti'